Six delicious Pinot Noirs from Chile

We have picked out six fine Pinot Noirs following an extensive tasting of Chilean wine last month – a selection that proves the country is starting to perfect its handling of this pernickety Burgundian grape.

The following wines – which include one pure Pinot sparkling – were all tasted blind as part of a large annual tasting of nothing but the latest releases from Chile, and you can read more about that sampling exercise at the bottom of this selection.

It is also worth noting that Chilean Pinot Noir is fast-improving, which is a product of better site selection, improved vineyard management, as well as more sensitive handling in the cellar. In the selection below are the country’s top expressions – Amelia and Ocio – as well as some more affordable options, although the Pinots below don’t include the entry-point wines from Cono Sur, which are some of the best examples of the grape priced below £15 (in UK retail) – and you can find out how they achieve such affordable quality in this article here.

Furthermore, for professionals, if you would like to try a selection of first-rate Chilean Pinot Noirs, from brilliant bargains to the finest on the market right now, then sign up here for a masterclass on Cono Sur Pinot Noir in London on Wednesday 24 September at 11am.

For now, scroll down to read about our Chilean Pinots for 2025, and to see all the wines from the tasting, please click here.

CORDILLERA PINOT NOIR EXTRA BRUT 2022

Producer: Miguel Torres
Region: Curicó
Grape variety: 100% Pinot Noir
ABV: 13.5%
Approx. retail price: £13
Score: 91

A pure Pinot Noir that highlights the quality potential of traditional method sparkling wine from Chile, with its stream of fine bubbles and juicy-fresh feel. More fruity than autolytic – there’s a hint of breadiness, but most of the flavour centres on the base wine characters of white peach and red apple. The finish is bone-dry, super-clean and slightly firm, with a lingering citric note.

TAYU 1865 2024

Producer: Viña San Pedro
Region: Malleco Valley
Grape variety: 100% Pinot Noir
ABV: 12.5%
Approx. retail price: £24
Score: 92

A lovely, light red wine with ripe red berry fruit, even a hint of strawberry jam, then white pepper, dried mint and a hint of nettle on the dry, finely tannic finish. Although delicate, with no sweet oak, there is a hint of vanilla cream too.

TARA PINOT NOIR 2023

Producer: Ventisquero
Region: Huasco, Atacama
Grape variety: 100% Pinot Noir
ABV: 13.5%
Approx. retail price: £35
Score: 92

Sibling red to the white Tara Chardonnay from the Atacama, this Pinot Noir hails from an extreme site in the region of Huasco, where excessive salinity can be an issue in this desert area. Light and refreshing in mouthfeel, there’s some slightly jammy red fruit, then some brighter notes of crushed cranberry and cooling menthol, allied to characters of white pepper and dried grass. The finish is bone-dry, with some fine-grained, dense tannins to make you salivate.

LEYDA ORIGIN 2022

Producer: Viña Leyda
Region: Leyda Valley
Grape variety: 100% Pinot Noir
ABV: 13%
Approx. retail price: £72.50
Score: 94

A lovely, pale, zesty-fresh but also fruity Pinot Noir from Leyda – that’s also a pricy expression by Chilean standards. Expect layers of complementary fruit flavours, from some fleshy red berry to sweet orange, married to subtle notes of vanilla cream and white pepper. While smooth and light, there’s also some fine, dry tannin to give structure and a mouthwatering edge to this fine, cool-climate red.

AMELIA PINOT NOIR 2024

Producer: Concha y Toro
Region: Limarí
Grape variety: 100% Pinot Noir
ABV: 14%
Approx. retail price: £45
Score: 94+

Delicate aromas of red berries with a subtle herbal lift and a hint of cocoa. The palate is light yet ripe, showing vibrant cherry and a hint of blackcurrant. Notes of strawberry compôte, dried mint, white pepper and sweet vanilla unfold gently, leading to a fresh, finely structured finish with chalky, dry tannins. There’s a cool green nuance, a saline edge and a crushed rock character that adds a mouthwatering appeal. Elegant and layered, with freshness balancing the darker berry fruit, complemented by a peppery twist. Youthful and age-worthy, with impressive complexity.

OCIO 2022

Producer: Cono Sur
Region: San Antonio Valley
Grape variety: 100% Pinot Noir
ABV: 14.5%
Approx. retail price: £50
Score: 95

Chile’s first really serious Pinot Noir, Ocio is now sourcing fruit from San Antonio, rather than Casablanca, as was the case in the past. The change has seen the wine get even better, with fine flavours of ripe strawberry, black cherry, even a touch of blackcurrant jam, then crunchier and zestier characters of cranberry and tangerine too. Complementing this range of ripe fruit are barrel-sourced notes of toast and vanilla. As for the mouthfeel, it’s medium weight, with some fine, firm tannin and, while it is generous by Pinot standards, the wine remains refreshing and moreish – making it an ideal partner for a wide range of foods, from white meats to barbecued lamb.

How the wines were chosen

The wines featured in this selection were taken from some of the leading producers in Chile. Wines of Chile asked them to submit no more than two wines for sampling. The wineries put forward commercially available samples that they were most proud of, representing new and exciting bottles, along with the latest vintages of established labels. All the samples were assessed blind.

Cono Sur Masterclass – Wednesday 24th September

How one winery has achieved the impossible with Pinot Noir